Persian herb and greens frittata
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Keywords: saute broil entree gluten-free low-carb nut-free soy-free sugar-free vegetarian spinach eggs leeks herbs Persian
Ingredients (4-8)
- 4 1/2 ounces / 130 g leek, white and light green portion, clean weight (set aside the dark green portion to make broth or stock)
- 4 tablespoons / 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 bunches / 14 ounces / 400 g fresh spinach
- 2 cups of finely chopped fresh herbs: in my case mostly dill (thick stems removed), some sprigs of parsley, leaves of a handful of fresh thyme sprigs and 2 sprigs of lovage
- 5 large eggs from pastured poultry
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
Cut the leek in half lengthwise and slice into 1/8 inch / 3 mm half-moons. Rinse well in a colander, then place in a bowl and fill it with cold water. With your hands, swirl the leek pieces to clean them well, then scoop them out of the water with a sieve or slotted spoon and drain them in a colander.
Warm up a 10-inch / 25 cm skillet over medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons / 30 ml of the olive oil. Add the leeks, stir well and cook for a couple of minutes. Cover the skillet and cook on gentle heat until the leeks are soft (12-15 minutes), stirring every now and then, making sure nothing burns. Transfer the leeks to a plate and clean the skillet.
Wash the spinach carefully and drain. Discard the roots and thicker stems and chop the rest finely. This is a bit tedious but it makes cooking easier, because the amount of eggs is small with respect to the amount of greens.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, the salt, pepper, and turmeric. Add the cooked leek, the chopped spinach and herbs and mix everything well. A silicone spatula works well for this step, which requires patience.
Heat the broiler: if your oven allows it, use the low setting; otherwise, move the oven rack down one level.
Heat again the skillet and pour into it the remaining 2 tablespoons / 30 ml of the olive oil, then swirl to coat. Empty the bowl into the skillet and use the spatula to spread the mixture evenly across. Cover the skillet and cook the frittata on low heat until the bottom is just set: check it after 8 minutes and estimate the remaining cooking time.
Uncover the skillet and broil, watching carefully, until the top is set, 1-2 minutes. Let the frittata cool slightly, then slide it onto a platter and serve.